Turtledove

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 1

After the war had ended, at the doorsteps of the castle grounds. One young woman, who grew up in the midst of war, found herself being drawn to the one place that she feared to go. A place that was once been the essence of legend and myth. The Chamber of Secrets.

Ever since she had woken up from the near end of her second year. She feared that there might be another evil within its long-forgotten walls. Other than a Basilisk, what else could haunt such a place? She had nightmares about it until new ones took its place. Like the time she was in the Department of Mysteries, with Antonin Dolohov when he nearly killed her. She also couldn't forget about Bellatrix Lestrange at Malfoy Manor.

As she entered the one bathroom that would lead her down into the castle depths. She was faced with the one ghost that she had hoped to stir from. The one that was killed by Tom Riddle Jr. back when he was in school. Moaning Myrtle.

"Hello, friend of Harry." The ghost girl gave a sad smile. She then glanced behind the broken sink area. She pointed to the opening that would lead down. "He's waiting for you."

"Who," asked the young woman with worry in her voice. Ever since the battle had stopped, she had been fighting with whatever that wanted her there. She knew that whatever the source was, was powerful and will not be ignored. "What does he want?"

Myrtle shook her head, giving nothing but sadness in her eyes. "I wouldn't know…" She floated away from the opening. "But whatever it is...don't keep him waiting."

The young woman sighed. She had a feeling that the ghost wouldn't be much help from her. She walked to the edge of the opening, seeing nothing but darkness. Before when she had gone down with Ron. She wasn't as scared as she was at that moment. But doing it alone, it was the scariest moment since the end of the war.

"Come on Hermione," she spoke to herself. Gripping her hands, allowing her nails to dig into her hands. "You survived the war." She took a deep breath, licking her lips. "You can do this."

'Come...Turtledove.' A voice came into her head. It was the same voice that she had been hearing. That came with the crashing waves of power that was coming from the chamber. Calling out to her. '...you're almost there.'

With another deep breath, Hermione jumped into the depths of the school that she had once loved. Into the darkness that had once held her nightmares. 'Into the depths of snakes I go.'

Once her feet had hit bottom. She glanced towards the door that was guarded by stone moving snakes. Hermione stopped as she was a few feet from the door. "What now," she asked. Allowing her voice to carry on the stone walls before her.

Within moments, the stone snakes moved across the door and opened. "I guess there is no turning back now." She made her way into the forgotten chamber. Allowing herself being lead. Knowing that their mystery behind it all would only drive her crazy later.

At the end of the chamber, next to the face of a man that only could be Salazar Slytherin. She saw a figure standing, facing the massive face. She didn't know if it was the figureheads of snakes or the figure before her, causing her to feel darkness around her. She stopped her footsteps, once she felt that she had gone far enough. Which happened to be a yard or so away from the figure before her.

"My turtledove," purred out a male voice. Causing shivers to run down her spine.

She had never heard this voice before, other than a few dreams that she had before. But she had felt a simpler power from him. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Miss Hermione Granger," his voice purred once again.

"Who ARE you," she cried out. No one has ever called her name like he had. Not like a caressing lover of words. Nobody, not even those that she had deemed worthy of her attention had cress her like that. Not just with her name.

It was then that he turned to face her. Casing a gasp to leave her lips. There was no way she could ever forget him. A boy of her age, with curly hair that stopped at his neck. Dressed in high fashion for his time of his house. His sharp emerald eyes focused on her like a predator to its prey. She knew him because of the photos that she had seen. Back when she was studying him. The only photos that she had gotten ahold of, were when he was perfect and head boy for the school.

"Tom," she gasped. Taking a step away from him. "I saw...I saw you die!" She was hating herself. She normally didn't stutter. She would have to thank Bellatrix for doing it to her. It was because of her that she was not her Gryffindor brave, as much as she was before.

"None of that, my turtledove." His smirk made his face become dark. He made his way towards her. Each step more precise as he walked. "You...and I…" Thump, thump of his boots on the stone floor. "...will make the Wizarding World into an empire."

"What kind...of empire?" The only reason she was asking because her hunger for knowledge came crashing. She just hoped that it wouldn't get her killed in the end. "What could you do...that would convince me to help...you?" Hermione stopped walking when she felt the wall on her back.

"Do you know why I wanted to have purebloods…?" He stopped his movements when he was leaning into her. His hips, leaning into her body. Not allowing her to move.

A gasp left her lips, feeling something poking her belly. She licked her lips, as she glanced up into his darkened eyes. "No."

"It was because of lost magicks, Miss Granger." He saw the spark behind her eyes. He knew that he would get a rise out of her. Just dangling some knowledge that she didn't know about. "Did you know...that purebloods have massive libraries." He leaned down, allowing his lips near her neck. Breathing out some heat that hit her neck, seeing her shiver before him. "About magic that Merlin, himself had once used…"

His lips nipped at her exposed flesh of her neck. "...such lost magic shouldn't be withheld." He pulled away, enough to allow his arms to wrap around her waist. "Knowledge that I had wanted to share…" He picked her up, getting her legs to wrap around his waist. Feeling his member rubbing against her covered core. "...magic that I believe that you would excel in."

"If you had...won…" Her breath lost as his power was rushing at her like it had not done before. Causing her brain to fog. 'Is he trying to sexually entice me?' She gasped as she felt his hardness, trying to dig into her. Even with her clothes on. "...what would have you done…?"

A deep chuckled sounded dark. "If I had won Miss Granger. I would have you...near me." He saw her eyes focused on on him. Seeing her question, across her deep brown eyes. "I know an asset when I see one." His lips nibbled at her neck, causing waves of magic to hit him from her. "You would have been mine. No matter what anyone had said."

He pulled away from her neck to lean his head against hers. "I would have deage for you…" He took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions a little. "I would have used Hogwarts as my kingdom. Allowing it to be the base of operations." He kissed her neck, feeling her pulse under his lips. "I would have allowed you the reins of the school. Knowing that you are a stickler for education."

He pulled away, hearing her gasp. As her nails dig into his arms. Knowing that he had her...at least somewhere in his words. "Together...we would re-educate the Wizarding World." He ground into her, at least as much as the fabric would allow. Feeling her wetness through the layers. "It wouldn't be just purebloods with this knowledge...but the world at large."

"What about...muggle-borns," she moaned out. "Would...more like me...learn?" Even though she was enjoying the feeling of what he was giving her. She was still trying to fight for her brain to work. She knew then that she had done right with her studies. By ignoring her hormones while at Hogwarts.

"Oh yes," he grumbled darkly. "Since I had grown up...outside of the wizarding world." He kissed her lips, dominating her lips like a hungry man. Lips molding against one another, as they moved. "I want those who lived without knowledge of magic….to grow up within a wizard home." He kissed her again, feeling her getting into the moment. "Get them exposed to our world, earlier in life. Even while in school…"

"Yes…" Hermione's voice hitched, as she felt him moving against her. Enjoying the feeling of something...something other than sorrow. "I would...have...liked that." Her eyes flicked closed. Allowing him control over anything he wanted. "How...are...you here?"

"I knew that question would rise," he dug his hips into her harder. Causing a gasp to leave her lips even more. "Years ago," his voice deepened. "Before I had left the school. I did a ritual in this very chamber." He knew that he was giving her a lot of information, but knew that he needed her to trust him. "I would regenerate once my Horcruxes were no more, after my death."

"What do…" She felt his hardness even more. Causing her to losing her focus. "...you want from...me?"

"Other than sex," he ripped her clothes. She was surprised her clothes had lasted that long. "I want a bonding," he growled at her. As he saw her lace covered boobs. His teeth grazed over her flesh of her collarbone. "To be my wife...in my endeavors."

Her eyes flickered, trying to see his eyes. "Why?" It was the only word she could manage. She had never been in a similar situation before. She didn't know how to fight back from such...emotions. Shivering before him, knowing that it wasn't just from the chill of the air around them.

"I want to rule," he ripped her jeans from her body. Seeing a matching thong. "I also want an heir. To do so, I have to have a legal marriage." He then waved a hand over his own clothes, bringing himself to nakedness before her. "I know a ritual that would bind us to the old magicks of marriage. The kind that even the ministry will honor."

This caused her brain to focus on what was before her. "What are you talking about?" She glanced around, not really wanting to see his flesh. "Marriage? Heirs?"

"You; my turtledove will be my wife." This caused her to whip her focus back to him. Seeing the fire in her eyes. "I know that you're a virgin and with that. I'm able to use a ritual that will bind us at all times. Even lifetimes after this one."

"H...how...did you know?"

"Your scent, only a virgin could ever smell as good as you." He leaned down, rubbing his nose against her neck. "Vanilla, almonds, and hazelnut." His teeth grazed her neck, causing shivers to run down her spine. "Almonds is the scent of virgins. The untouched."

"What are you," she asked with uneasiness in her voice. It didn't sound like fear, but more close to wonder. "Do you have an...animagus form?"

"Very good my dear, I do have an animagus form." He reached behind her and unhook her bra, throwing it away from them. "But I'm afraid, my form would scare you." His voice was thick with lust and need. He snapped his fingers, bring a bed into the chamber from thin air. "I think we have other things to worry about, then my animagus at the moment."

He pulled her towards the bed and threw her onto the bed. Before he climbed in after her. "Now, be quiet as I start our ritual before I forget."

Hermione quivered under him. Her mind going back to being fogged. Only hearing his deep voice mumble, as he moved over her. Kissing certain spots, biting in others.

Even though there was a part of her that wanted to fight him. Keep on fighting him, since her side had won the war. She also knew that she needed to keep calm and relaxed. Knowing that if she stressed her body, even for a small bit. It would cause much pain for her.

She felt her thong being pulled from her body. Hearing his mumbling becoming fast and erratic. Like the movements of his hands, as he pets her across her body. Her skin tingled by his demonstration of his worshipping of her body. 'He's a drug of his own…'

She felt his hands lifting her hips. Angling his rod near her darkened cavern. Him leaning down. Kissing her neck. "As we become connected, we shall never part."

She was expecting him to just ram his way through into her. But she found was that he was easing his way into her. Like a lover would. 'I guess, he would be my only lover…'

He stopped just before her virginity would be taken forever. A groan left his lips, as he held himself. Allowing Hermione to breathe for a moment. "With this virgin blood, we become one in our marriage bed." He shifts his hips, causing a hiss to leave both of their lips. "You're now mine."

Hermione gasped for every shift and thrust. Moving back in forth in a slow, small movements. Making the young woman lose all sense of control and thought. "More," she purred/moaned. Enjoying the feelings that he was enticing her. "I want...more."

"As my lady...wishes," he purred before picking up speed. Moving his hips like he had wanted but still held onto his control. Tom wanted to show what a lover he could be. He felt her walls starting to come in on him. "Come for me," he rasped. "Then take all of me."

Once she had come in an explosion that she had never imagine. She grabbed onto him, gasping for air. She felt as if not just her body, but her soul was soaring above the bed. Hoping that through him that she would be grounded. At least to something.

With a couple of more thrusts, he shot his seed into her. Knowing from that moment that they were forever connected. From that life and into the next. They will always be together. 'She's a match to my forever hunger for knowledge. I will never let her go…'

The two of them became lost in a kiss. Tying each other back to earth. Allowing each other to feel the waves of marriage bliss, through the joining of their magicks.

With a wave of his hand, an object came rushing at them from the far distance of the chamber. He pulled himself away, with a smile on his lips. Causing butterflies to stutter in her belly.

"This was once Salazar's wife's ring."

Hermione sat up, hissing from their joining. Not used to some muscles being moved. "It's not cursed, is it?" She learned from understanding pureblood families. That most of their artifacts that they were cursed.

"No," his green eyes sparkled. He opened the box for her to look at. "He wouldn't do such a thing." The ring, made of silver that looked like a snake, with small diamonds and emeralds in his scales. Its mouth opened, holding a very large emerald. "This is an Irish Emerald, non-curseable objects known to wizards."

"Why's that," Hermione asked with wonder in her voice. She had always wondered why it was so. With all the book knowledge that she had. All of them said that it wasn't able to hold a curse.

Tom chuckled. "It's because the emerald is legendary known as Merlin's Dragonheart." When he saw the raised eyebrow. He knew he had lost her. He took a deep breath. "Have you heard that Merlin was known as the Lord of Dragons?"

"Yes," her voice whispered. Not wanting to lose his train of thought, if she spoke aloud.

"Well," he glanced around for a moment. "Merlin had to kill his dragon when he found out that it wanted to kill King Arthur. When Merlin was able to do so...the dragon crashed into Ireland and became Irish Emerald."

Hermione shook her head, her eyes glaring at him. "I don't believe you." But allowed her eyes to look down to the ring before her. "It really doesn't explain the non-cursedable emerald."

"Dragons, my dear." He chuckled, as she glanced at him with raised eyebrows. "Dragons are hard to curse. Even dark curses have a hard penetrating their armor of their scales." His lips pulled back with a heartwarming smile. "This ring will protect you from all curses. Because of its protective properties that it holds."

He placed the ring on her ring finger. Enjoying the visual branding of her. Knowing that they will be husband and wife, in front of her peers.

"What about you," Hermione asked. "Where is your ring?"

Tom glanced into the ring box and pulled out the velvet lining. Once it was out, another ring was shown under it. It was the same ring as Hermione was wearing, but much bigger. The snake had a big emerald on its head, with onyx and emeralds in its scales on the silver band.

"Just like your ring. Mine will protect me as well." He placed his own ring on his finger. "Together, they will communicate to each other. Letting us know if we need one another."

He gave her a kiss. "They will even act as a portkey. If we need to be with one another. The ring will take us to the other." He laid down on the bed, bringing her close to his body.

"What...is the...plan?" Hermione's voice sounded groggy.

He could only imagine. She had been on the run for nearly a year. Then battling on cattle grounds for close to twenty-four hours. Plus coming down to his deep dark chambers where the two threw into their sexual pleasures.

"Sleep," he lightly ordered. He knew that he will never be able to order her. Nor would he want to.

As his newly bonded wife slept. He thought of names that he would use to make his new life possible. He knew that he would have to leave behind the names of Lord Voldemort and Tom Riddle. He had to come up with a whole new identity.

As his thoughts ran through his head. There was one name that came to him, for he had one true friend that he had made into one of his knights. Cyrus. He would honor his friend by using that name.

His green eyes then focused on Hermione. Knowing that her name came from a Shakespearean play. Making him remember one play that called to him more than any other. Macbeth. 'I'll be known as Cyrus Macbeth from this day forward…'

He had to laugh at himself. After realizing what his new name had met for its meaning. 'Cyrus means, lord. While Macbeth means, son of life.' His inner thoughts chuckled. After the realization had dawned on him. 'Lord, son of life. Wow, now that sounds interesting…'

Now that he had a new name. He knew that his appearance had needed to change as well. 'I wouldn't want Harry Potter or Ginevra Weasley to know that I'm still around. I wouldn't want them to get in between me and my new world order…'

He took a deep breath. He hadn't lied to Hermione about his goals for the Wizarding World. He didn't want the forgotten texts to be lost in time. Not while the Wizarding World could benefit from them.

It was one of his main arguments with Professor Dumbledore, back when he was in Hogwarts. Stating that old texts shouldn't be lost. Not while; even Merlin's works, needed to be taught in school. The only response he had gotten from his old Transfiguration Professor. "There are things in this world that are met to be lost."

Tom had never thought about that. Sure that was a lot of dark magic but was it not the teacher's job to teach the counters of such dark magic. That was one of the reasons there was a Defense Against the Dark Arts class. 'No wonder the Aurors had a hard time taking over my Death Eaters for so long.'

Another thought came into his mind. 'I'm going to have to inveterate the ministry again. In order for my new identity to take hold. As well going to Gringotts to change the accounts around, along with adding Hermione's name to it…'

He closed his eyes for a moment. 'Was this how Severus felt like? Back when he was nothing more than a spy?' A part of him regretted that he had killed his young potions apprentice. He knew now why he had turned his back on being a Death Eater. 'His love for Lily Evans Potter was too much for the call of world domination.'

He his glanced down at the sleeping woman next to him. He has started to realize what Dumbledore had preached for so long, had met. "The power of love can out power the darkest of things…" Tom closed his eyes, trying to rein in his new found emotions. 'Why did mother give Tomas Riddle Sr. love potion? No wonder I was born without any… They should have labeled a big fat warning on the page before making it.'

It had taken him years, while at Hogwarts to understand that he was different. It was his old potions professor that he confided with that gave him the answers. It was during his last term of sixth year, before summer break. He cornered the professor enough to ask such questions. It was then that he learned the truth before facing his father for the first and only time.

His mother had made love potion in Horus' class before going home after graduation. She had learned from her family that she was going to be wedded off as soon as she had come home. But she had been in love with a local boy from town, who didn't love her in return. So instead of being married off like her family wanted. She love potioned his father to a loup in the next town.

Tom had faced his father's family and learned more of that story. He had learned that his family knew about his mother being pregnant with him. But did nothing to prevent him from going to the orphanage. Since they were the ones who had driven the woman there in the first place. His own father had even voiced his pleasure of knowing that the woman was dead.

"Are you like her," he remembered his own father asking. Before going for a gun. Tom raised his wand towards the man before he had even fired one shot at him. After firing off his killing curse at his own father. Tomas' father had tried to pick up the gun… Tom had no choice but to finish off the rest of the Riddle family.

'It was kill or be killed…'

He had gone back to his thoughts on what he wanted to look. He knew that he had to leave behind dark hair and pale skin. Tom knew that he had a lot to think about. But he knew that he can't change his appearance until Hermione had woken up. He wouldn't want to scare her.

While living as the Dark Lord in the last few years. He had learned from the Malfoys; mainly the men that she was a knowledge-hungry nuisance. While Severus had voiced that she was an inseparable-know-it-all. Stating that she would eat up a book and quote what it says right back at you. It was enough to make him chuckle in his own rooms when he was alone.

He had seen through the thoughts of Severus, Lucius, and Draco to know what kind of bookworm she was. It was enough to want to call out to his Death Eaters to make her Undesirable Number Two for a reason. He wanted to capture her, to use her knowledge to help him in some way. He had never once thought about using her against Harry Potter in any way, knowing that she wouldn't do it. Even if he had tortured her.

'No, this was better. Having her as my wife and partner for the Wizarding World's future. It was a far better than I had hoped for…' He rubbed her cheek with his knuckle. As he pulled her hair away from her face. 'Maybe I'll have her help me find Avalon or even Atlantis?' He knew that those would be something that she may help him with. Knowing those lost places would have an abundance of knowledge that he knew that she would want to find as well.